Airtight container

ABSTRACT

An airtight container includes a jar, a cover, a sealing ring and a check valve. The cover includes an opening defined therein. The sealing ring is used to block a gap between the cover and the jar when the cover is located on the jar. The check valve includes a plug and a ball. The plug is fit in the opening and made with a chamber and a tunnel in communication with the chamber. The ball is used to contact the wall of the chamber when air tends to enter the jar via the check valve. The ball can however be lifted from the wall of the chamber by air leaving the jar.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to an airtight container and, more particularly, to an airtight container including a check valve for allowing air or gas to vent from the airtight container but preventing air or gas from entering the airtight container.

2. Related Prior Art

Airtight containers or bags are often used to contain food or any other things that would better be isolated from air. In general, such airtight containers or bags perform well and are inexpensive. Hence, such airtight containers or bags are popular.

However, ordinary airtight containers or bags which do not allow air to vent or enter are not suitable for containing some sorts of food such as coffee beans and powder. Coffee beans naturally release carbon dioxide after they are baked. Should coffee beans be contained in an ordinary airtight container or bag, the ordinary airtight container or bag would be expanded by carbon dioxide released from the coffee beans. Hence, the ordinary aright container or bag would be expanded and deformed or, in the worst case, burst. Release of carbon dioxide from coffee powder, which is made by grinding the coffee beans, is even faster. Should coffee power be contained in an ordinary airtight container or bag, expansion and deformation of the ordinary airtight container or bag due to the release of the carbon dioxide would be even worse.

Hence, coffee beans or powder are often contained in airtight bags equipped with check valves. The check valves allow carbon dioxide released from the coffee beans or powder to leave the airtight bags so that the airtight bags are protected from expansion and deformation. The check valves prevent air from entering the airtight bags to avoid rapid deteriorating of the quality of the coffee beans or powder. The check valves are connected to the airtight bags by ultrasonic waves. However, check valves cannot be connected to airtight containers by ultrasonic waves.

As disclosed in Taiwanese Patent M353909 issued to the applicant of the present application, an airtight container includes a jar, a cover for covering the jar, and a check valve fit in the cover. The cover however includes quite a few elements and is therefore complicated.

The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide an airtight container including a check valve for allowing air or gas to vent from the airtight container but preventing air or gas from entering the airtight container.

To achieve the foregoing objectives, the airtight container includes a jar, a cover, a sealing ring and a check valve. The cover includes an opening defined therein. The sealing ring is used to block a gap between the cover and the jar when the cover is located on the jar. The check valve includes a plug and a ball. The plug is fit in the opening and made with a chamber and a tunnel in communication with the chamber. The ball is used to contact the wall of the chamber when air tends to enter the jar via the check valve. The ball can however be lifted from the wall of the chamber by air leaving the jar.

Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description referring to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of the preferred embodiment referring to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an airtight container according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the airtight container shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a cover removed from a jar of the airtight container shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the jar covered by the cover shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the cover closed by the check valve shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the cover not closed by the check valve shown in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an airtight container 2 includes a jar 4, a sealing ring 8, a cover 6 and a check valve 10 according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The jar 4 includes an annular edge 12 extending on an upper end that is an open end and an annular flange 14 extending around an external side near the upper end. The jar 4 is made of plastics or any other proper material.

The sealing ring 8 is made according to the annular edge 12 for reasons to be described. The sealing ring 8 is made of plastics, silicone, rubber or any other proper material.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 as well as FIGS. 1 and 2, the cover 6 includes an opening 15, an annular groove 16 and hooks 18. The opening 15 is defined in the center of the cover 6 so that the cover 6 includes an internal edge and an external edge. The annular groove 16 is defined in a lower side of the cover 6 along the external edge. All of the hooks 18 extend from the external edge of the cover 6. Each of the hooks 18 includes a section made with reduced thickness so that it can easily be pivoted. The cover 6 is made of plastics or any other proper material.

On the outside, the check valve 10 includes a plug 20 and a ball 22. The plug 20 includes a semi-sphere 24, a disc 26 and a neck 28. The neck 28 extends from a planar upper side of the semi-sphere 24 to a planar lower side of the disc 26. The diameter of the neck 28 is smaller than the diameter of the semi-sphere 24 and the diameter of the neck 28. The plug 20 is made of plastics, silicone, rubber or any other proper material.

On the inside, the plug 20 includes a chamber 30 and a tunnel 32. The chamber 30 is defined in the semi-sphere 26 while the tunnel 32 is defined in the disc 26 and the neck 28. The chamber 30 is in communication with the tunnel 32. The chamber 30 is shaped in compliance with an inverted conical frustum, i.e., it expands as it extends from a lower end to an upper end. The lower end of the chamber 30 is an open end. The tunnel 32 includes a lower end and an upper end. The lower end of the tunnel 32 is in communication with the upper end of the chamber 30. The area of the tunnel 32 is smaller than the areas of the lower and upper ends of the chamber 30.

The ball 22 is preferably made of a sufficient weight for reasons to be described. Hence, the ball 22 may include a metal core located in a coating made of plastics, silicone, rubber or any other proper material. The diameter of the ball 22 is larger than the diameter of the lower end of the chamber 30.

In assembly, the ball 22 is inserted into the chamber 30 via the lower end of the chamber 30 by force. This is possible because the plug 20 is made of an elastic material. The ball 22 is retained in the chamber 30 since the diameter of the ball 22 is larger than the diameter of the lower end of the chamber 30. The ball 22 is in contact with the wall of the chamber 30 near the lower end of the chamber 30.

The semi-sphere 24 is inserted through the opening 15 by force because of the plug 20 is made of an elastic material. The neck 28 is located in the opening 15. Thus, the internal edge of the cover 6 is located between the semi-sphere 24 and the disc 26, i.e., the plug 20 is connected to the cover 6.

The sealing ring 8 is fit in the annular groove 16. Thus, the sealing ring 8 is detachably connected to the cover 6.

The jar 4 can be used to contain coffee beans or powder or pickles or any other types of food that release various types of gas. The cover 6 is located on the jar 4 so that the sealing ring 8 is located on the annular edge 12. The hooks 18 are engaged with the annular flange 14 so that the sealing ring 8 is firmly located on the annular edge 12. Accordingly, it is difficult for air to travel 4 between the jar 4 and the cover 6.

Referring to FIG. 5, the ball 22 is in contact with the wall of the chamber 30. Thus, it is difficult for air to enter the jar 4 via the check valve 10.

However, as discussed in the RELATED PRIOR ART, carbon dioxide will be released from the coffee beans or powder or pickles. Referring to FIG. 6, the carbon dioxide will push the ball 22 from the wall of the chamber 30 when the pressure in the jar 4 increases and reaches a value sufficient to overcome the weight of the ball 22. That is, the carbon dioxide can push open the check valve 10 and leave the jar 4 via the check valve 10. Therefore, the air-tight container 2 will not be expanded, deformed or burst.

The present invention has been described via the detailed illustration of the preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the preferred embodiment shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims. 

1. An airtight container including: a jar; a cover including an opening defined therein; a sealing ring for blocking a gap between the cover and the jar when the cover is located on the jar; a check valve including: a plug fit in the opening and made with a chamber and a tunnel in communication with the chamber; and a ball for contact with the wall of the chamber when air tends to enter the jar via the check valve, wherein the ball can be lifted from the wall of the chamber by air leaving the jar.
 2. The airtight container according to claim 1, wherein the chamber is made in compliance with an inverted conical frustum.
 3. The airtight container according to claim 2, wherein the plug includes a semi-sphere, a disc and a neck extending from a planar side of the semi-sphere to a side of the disc, wherein the neck is located in the opening while an internal edge of the cover around the opening is located between the semi-sphere and the disc.
 4. The airtight container according to claim 3, wherein the chamber is defined in the semi-sphere, wherein the tunnel is defined in the disc and the neck. 